The present invention broadly relates to the field of automated travel planning systems and more particularly relates to the field automated travel planning systems accounting for fuel consumption and other environmental impact factors.
Computerized travel routing systems assist motorists in determining preferred routes in traveling between two or more locations. Users typically specify a starting point and a destination and the travel routing system determines the route with the shortest distance between the two locations. Also, computerized travel routing systems determine the route with the shortest travel time between the two locations. Various Web sites currently provide similar functionality to online users. Of note, several car manufacturers have incorporated similar computerized mapping systems into the on-board computer systems of manufactured vehicles.
In general, computerized travel routing systems function as follows. After a user enters a starting location and a destination, the travel routing system accesses a map database containing road information. Each road in the database may be broken up into segments. The segments may begin and end at intersections, speed zones, or a change in the number of lanes. The information of a road segment in the map database may include: the length of the segment, speed limit, and which road segments connect to the endpoints of the segment. The travel routing system may plot out a number of probable routes comprised of road segments connecting the starting point and the destination. An estimated travel time for each route may be calculated by summing the quotient of the distance traveled in a particular speed zone by the speed limit of the zone. A travel route may then be selected based on the shortest travel distance, shortest estimated time required to travel the route or some combination of the two. The selected travel route may then be displayed to the user.
Currently, social, economic and political events have shed light on the importance of maintaining a healthy environment and reducing fuel consumption. Towards this end, eco-friendly products and practices have increased in popularity and a renewed interest in energy efficient or alternative-fuel vehicles has arisen. Thus, there is a modern interest in reducing the impact of humans on the environment and saving fuel. Conventional computerized travel routing systems, however, have not adapted to meet eco-friendly concerns when calculating optimized routes in onboard navigation systems.